For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
I think it is fair to say that in our age of instant gratification, the wells of patience have begun to dry up. The things we want can be bought on easy terms, with payments over two years. Food can be microwaved from freezer to plate in minutes. Put your foot down, and you’ll cover a mile in less than a minute.
Against all of this, the opening verses of Psalm 62 stand as a witness to a deeper age. “My soul waits in silence”.
“Waits”. “Silence”. Patience.
We would be mistaken if we were to think that life in Ancient Israel was more idyllic than ours. Bands of bandits roamed the countryside, and neighbouring nations were waiting to pounce. A failed harvest meant death, and life was brutal. Parents regularly buried their children, and old age was the preserve of few.
So how did they obtain this silent, waiting patience? King David carries on, and gives us the reasons for his hope. From God alone comes salvation, he alone is his rock and salvation and he is a fortress. David’s hope is in something concrete, and a power greater than the other nations. David shall not be “greatly shaken” because he has a sure foundation.
And so David can wait in silence. He is confident and unconcerned. The greater our trust in God, the deeper the peace we experience.
